If not, talk to your pastor, your head elder, and your congregational president. This Reformation Anniversary Celebration is a great chance to say, "Come and see" (John 1:45-46) to our neighbors who need to hear the message of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Thank you to all who braved the storms on October 15, 2016, to attend LMSN's second annual Oktoberfest!

We had a blast!

Musicians from All Saints Lutheran Church, Epiphany Lutheran Church, King of Kings Lutheran Church, Pilgrim Lutheran Church, and Redeemer Lutheran Church took part in the Music Festival portion of our gathering in Pilgrim's Sanctuary. (Thank you to all!)

We had fabulous food - bratwurst courtesy of Fischer Meats in Issaquah, WA. The bratwurst was smoked by our own Executive Director, Don Sundene, on a smoker supplied by Dennis Polinder of Pilgrim. During dinner, we had Oktoberfest favorites from Mach One Jazz Orchestra - phenomenal! Thank you to all!

We had a great wellness event at Pilgrim Lutheran Church on Saturday, September 10, 2016. Those who came got to hear Mr. Jerry Flynn, BA CSCS of ATI Physical Therapy offer some important suggestions for staying active during the winter months. Of course, we had a great breakfast thanks to the labor of love from Mr. Don Sundene, our Executive Director, and our hosts from Pilgrim Lutheran Church (including Pr. Jim Rehder and Dcs. Ruth Ann Shimoi) were invaluable! Thank you to all!

To see our most recent newsletter and tributes to Pr. Paul Winterstein and Calvary Lutheran Church, use the link below. If the link doesn't open automatically, copy and paste it into your web browser. May God's blessings be with you!

We express our appreciation to Pr. Don Schatz and our friends at Epiphany Lutheran Church for hosting our most recent wellness event. We had a great turnout and those who were there got to hear about practical tools for reducing the effects of Alzheimer's and various other forms of dementia.

Bob Kaftan of the Alzheimer's Association, Washington State Chapter at Epiphany - 6/4/2016

We really enjoyed the presentation from Mr. Bob Kaftan of The Alzheimer's Association, Washington State Chapter.

Per the presentation, there are things that people can do to delay and / or lessen the effects of Alzheimer's type dementia. Also, as we have heard about in news reports recently, there are some exciting breakthroughs with medications that might benefit those with Alzheimer's.

Northwest Reformation 2017 - "It's Still All About Jesu" Those who came got to hear about the Reformation's 500th Anniversary in 2017 and the work that LMSN is doing to organize a regional multi-congregation celebration at a venue in Seattle. Stay tuned for more information!

This picture is a small hint of what we enjoyed at our annual meeting on Feb. 21, 2016, at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Des Moines, WA.

Our time together began with a dessert potluck - some tasty treats. We also shared highlights of our ministry over the last year. Thank you to all who joined us and took part!

In our time together, we worked to generate excitement about Reformation 2017, the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. We read an inaugural publication on Reformation 2017, written by Mr. Gary Beard, an historian. He challenged us to remember why the Reformation is still relevant 500 years later.

All of that information about the Reformation is meant to build excitement for our regional celebration of the Reformation in Seattle on October 29, 2017, Reformation Sunday. With the blessing of the Northwest District of the LCMS, LMSN is working with regional pastors and congregations to put together a grand, outreach-orientated, celebration of this key anniversary in the life of the Western World. Contact us if you would like to be a part!

We can't say, "Thank you!" enough to the Boeing Employees Choir for their beautiful performance and help with our meeting and fundraiser. They were excellent!!! A short video clip of their performance of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" can be found on our Facebook(TM) page. (See the Facebook-TM link below.)

We express our appreciation to Mr. Bob Kaftan of the Alzheimer's Association Washington State Chapter for his presentation on Alzheimer's Dementia! He touched on defining dementia, diagnosing dementia, dementia treatment and care, dementia risk and prevention, and provided valuable insight.

It gave those who are caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's and similar forms of dementia insight into the disease as well as resources for support.

We were blessed to have several fa...ith community nurses in attendance, and we are excited about being able to support those who have a heart for wellness ministries.

Our breakfast was a team effort led by the gifts of Dcn. Eric Van Devender, our cooker, as well as Dcs. Ruth Ann Shimoi and Don Sundene. (It was delicious!)

LMSN is looking forward to sponsoring more wellness events at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, The Hearthstone in Seattle, and a church near you (perhaps even your church - contact us ....). Watch FB and our website for upcoming dates. We are close to finalizing two more dates in the near future.

Our hearts go out to June Gorman as we fondly remember her husband John.

John was a deeply faithful Christian - a loving husband and father.

His heart for serving others inspired him to sponsor Pilgrim Lutheran Church of Bellevue, WA's, annual Easter Breakfast. Proceeds from the breakfast went to ministries like Sophia Way, Pilgrim Lutheran Church and Preschool, and yes, Lutheran Ministry Services Northwest.

...

John went to be with Jesus on December 14, 2015. A memorial service in his honor was held at Pilgrim Lutheran Church on Sunday, January 10, 2016. The service was a great reminder of how many lives John had touched and a great witness to our hope in Christ.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8, ESV)

Below is a letter that has been sent to all church workers of the Northwest District LCMS. It is to let them know that LMSN is here for them and the people they serve. A PDF copy of the letter can be found at the link below. (If the link doesn't open automatically, copy and paste the link into your web browser.)

We put together the following video in celebration of our 75th Anniversary. (Copy and paste the link into your web browser if selecting the link will not navigate there automatically.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpksuGIAE9Q

The video highlights the hospital, care center, and jail ministry that we have carried out since the founding of LMSN. We give thanks to God for former and present care givers!

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit.”

(Isaiah 11:1, NIV)

One of my favorite sanctuary banners artfully illustrates Isaiah 11:1. Against the Advent blue colored backdrop is a large tree stump. The many rings of the once great tree were laid bare. Visible at the base of the trunk are the tops of sturdy roots that looked strong and imaginably deep enough to support the tree through many a storm and drought. The stump is a stark reminder of what had been taken away.

In Isaiah 11:1, the stump depicts the house of Jesse, the father of King David and the house and lineage of King David. Under David and Solomon, Israel had grown to be a wealthy and mighty kingdom. But subsequent rulers and subsequent years would see that mighty kingdom and the royal house of Jesse brought low like a great tree that had been cut at the base.

Trees cut at the base – not a foreign sight in the Pacific Northwest, an area famous for forests and a thriving forest industry. Have you ever seen what had been a stand of trees after it has been cut? The first time I saw acres of stumps off of Highway 101, my heart sank thinking of the beauty that once was. I don’t share that as commentary on responsible forestry, rather to show the contrast between what is and what had been.

A tree cut at the base - it is easy to use that image in describing the lives of people whose health has failed. Vigor, vitality, and normalcy (the list could go on) are all things that often get taken away and leave a stark contrast between what is and what had been. Yet no matter what is taken away from us in this life, there is hope – hope founded in the promise that our verse from Isaiah 11:1 heralds.

The tree depicted in Isaiah 11:1 had been cut at the base, but God still had something good in store for it. Isaiah 11:1 speaks of a shoot, a branch that would come from the stump of Jesse. From the house and lineage of David would come the Messiah whose birth we first anticipate during Advent and then celebrate during Christmas. The fruit that the branch would bear is all that the Messiah accomplished to bring reconciliation between God and sinful people. The Messiah’s birth offers joy for the world and joy for each and every one of us.

The image of the branch is an image of renewal in the face of death and devastation – renewal for this life and the life of the world to come. Those who hope in the Messiah can draw strength from Paul’s words when he writes, “… though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16b, ESV). Those who hope in Christ can savor the blessings when God brings restoration to body and spirit – not to mention relationships. Those who hope in the Messiah have everlasting hope – for this life and the life of the world to come. That is why we celebrate at Christmas and await our Lord’s return.

At LMSN, we are thankful for the chance to renew outreach at the King County Jail and Veteran’s Hospital in Seattle. We ask for your prayers and financial support as those efforts get underway, and we pray that those efforts bear fruit by giving people the hope we celebrate this time of year.

Use this link to find a copy of our Advent and Christmas Newsletter. (If the link doesn't open automatically, copy and paste the link into your web browser.)https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9JwpZtnV9SBMTVmdVJsaUZNT1U/view?usp=sharing